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Cat Quarantine: When a Pet Is Part of an Overseas Move

The Anxiety of Moving a Beloved Family Member Abroad

By

Debra Bruno

Dec. 15, 2014 11:50 p.m. ET

When my husband and I decided to move to China four years ago, we knew we would be bringing our then-14-year-old, then-overweight cat who has a fear of noises, people, and random terrors like a yellow backpack left in the dining room. She’s part of the family.

My American-born stray had done an international trek before. In 2001, we brought her with us to Brussels for a one-year assignment, but then she was a young cat. This time, we knew, would be harder.